PRIDE BEFORE THE FALL (A Fiction Story)

 Written for Christian Flash Weekly.

It isn’t about weight loss, but it’s a fiction story written from the point of view of a main character in Esther. This character is a man you love to hate.

I  decided to post this story in honor of Purim.  I’m not Jewish, but my Savior, Jesus Christ is.  Be forewarned. It’s a dark story, but it could have happened this way.

I take great comfort in knowing that no matter what, God is in charge.  I hope you enjoy it. Let me know what you think.

____________________________

Prompt and Instruction from Christian Flash Weekly

He stomped in, took off his sword, hit the wall with his fist, and kicked the chair before he abruptly sat in it, “Zeresh, come here. You won’t believe what happened today.”

He watched smugly as she came running. It took a while to get her confidence broken, but it was worth it to know that he, an Agagite, had complete control of this woman from the most prosperous family in Persia. It’s a shame that she didn’t maintain her youthful beauty now, but she does make a good servant. Full of self-pride, he thought, “I’ve manipulated her father and whipped her into submission. I’ll manipulate King Xerxes into submission to me too. He’s nothing but a drunk, it’ll be easy. But first, I’ll get rid of that defiant Mordecai. ”

She sat on the pillow at his feet, “What Haman?”

“That dog at the gate, Mordecai, refused to bow before me again today. Everyone else bowed before as I rode by, but not Mordecai. No. he just stands there in defiance. He humiliates me in front of everyone. People are questioning why he doesn’t have to bow like everyone else. ”

She gasped. He scowled.

“Disrespect always starts with one. Today Mordecai won’t bow before me. If this continues, tomorrow no one will. I’ll be the laughingstock of the land. I won’t have it. Do you hear me Zeresh?”

She nodded as she put her hand on his knee, “What will you do, Haman?”

Smiling full of self-pride, “Why I’m the second in command. I can rule this entire country without the king even knowing. I can do anything I want. That King Xerxes is so stupid, I will end up running this country. Why one day, it could be that I would be king. Xerxes is nothing but a drunk. I could run this country better than him.” He smiled as he fantasized of being king over the king.

“What can you do?”  

“That dog, Mordecai, must be destroyed. I’ll make him an example of what happens to one who doesn’t respect me as I deserve. As a matter of fact,” smiling as he conceived a plan. “I’ll use his actions to exterminate his people. It’s well known fact in the history of my people how his people confiscated our land.”

He hit the table with his fist, “This is my chance to win victory and bring honor back to my people. Bring honor to me. I’ll get the land back too. After I take care of Mordecai and his people, then I will have more control over the people of this land when they see what I’m capable of. That’s the way to rule over a land, use fear to control the people.”

“What’s your plan?”

“First, I’ll inform the king how Mordecai’s people refuse to worship our gods and how they refuse to assimilate to the customs and beliefs of Persia. I’ll tell the king it’s their plan to take over his kingdom. I’ll remind him of their history of powerful kings and how they took over the land of my people. I’ll convince him that any day now one of them could rise up in defiance to take over his kingdom. Then I’ll offer to pay all the expenses it takes to eradicate this threat to his kingdom.”

“Will he agree?”

“Oh yes, he’ll agree. Anything that disagrees with him throws him into a fit of rage. He’ll do anything to maintain his standing. Remember what he did to Queen Vashti when she wouldn’t parade herself at his party. He put her away just to protect his image of kinghood. I’d do the same to you too, Zeresh, if you ever embarrassed me in front of others by defying me like that. If I ever tell you to parade yourself in front of my friends to show off my wife, you better do it.”

He watched as she rubbed her shoulder still bruised and sore from yesterday.

Laughing in irony, “But you don’t have to worry about that, my dear, for you’re just too ugly for me to show off. I married you for your money not your looks.”

He watched and smiled with disgust and evil contempt as she looked at the floor fighting tears, “But you serve your purpose well, that I will say.”

Then he laughed in his own pleasure in her discomfort. “Anyway, that’s my plan, to eradicate those people, take back the land of my people, and I’ll end up controlling this drunken foolish king too. Just like I control you, my ugly wife.”

He yelled, “Cook, bring me my food. I’m hungry. Bring it now.”

He lifted the cover from the platter of food that the servant brought, selected a piece of the lamb roast from the tray, and sat back in his chair gloating over his perceived victory over Mordecai.

Then he watched Zeresh as she twisted a strand of her hair.

“Stop that.”

She jumped and He laughed in the pleasure of making her jump.

Sighing with contentment as he enjoyed the pleasure of his conquest sitting on a pillow at his feet and contemplated his future pleasure of destroying Mordecai and his people.

God watched it all and laughed at Haman, “I once said this to a Pharaoh and now I will say the same to you as well, little man. Now watch and you will see what I will do.”

________________________________________

Comments from the Judge of Christian Flash Weekly, Charles W. Short:

Once again a hard story to read. Haman is portrayed more fully than the book of Esther allows, but every bit of it seems to be in character for what we know of the man. The point of view is his, normally a reader looks for opportunities to empathize with the POV character, but not in this case. The unfolding of the story gives you more and increasing reasons to dislike him.

Finally in the end, the POV is broken by seeing God’s point of view for a moment.

Actually I think most of us would straighten up a bit to realize God is always watching, and we would not always be flattered by the view we are giving Him.

________________________________

I agree with you, Mr. Charles W. Short.